Garment presser



June 28, 1938.

C. T. ALLME GARMENT .PRESSER 3 SheetsSheet 1 Original Filed Aug; 19, 1955 2b 0:. at. MR mi.

June 28, 1938. 7 Q T ALLME 2,121,849

' GARMENT PRESSER Original Filed Aug. 19, 1955 s Sheets-sheaf. 2

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Tim I v F uNvNTo 'June 28, 1938. C ALLME 2,121,849

' GARMENT PRESSER Original Filed Aug. 19, 11935 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented June2 8,1 938 2 121,349

UNITEDISTATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT PRESSER Carl T. Allme, Meadville, Pa., assignor to Spaide Shirt Company, a corporation of Pennsylv'ania V 7 Application August 19, 1935, Serial No. 36,816

Renewed June 22, I937 Claims. (01. 38--10) I I My invention relatesto garment-pressing maof the apparatus, taken on the plane III-III chines, and isparticularly, although not excluof Fig. II, and showing in side elevation parsively, directed to a machine of the sort disclosed ticular elements of the operating mechanism,

in United. States Letters Patent No. 1,942,254, and Figs. 111a and 11112 are views in perspective granted January 2, 1934, to Thomas H. McGowan. of structural details; Fig. IV is a fragmentary The patented machine embodies a heated pressview, showing the pressing head mounting in secing head,,and a series of work-supporting pads. tion, on the plane IV-IV of Fig. III; Figs. V The pads are laterally interconnected in closed and- VI are fragmentary views, comparable with or endless series, and means are provided for ad- Fig. III, and showing the particular elements of vancing such endless series step-by-step, whereby the operating mechanism in progressive posi-- the pads. are brought, one after another, into tions of operation; Fig. VII is a sectional view a position of momentary rest beneath the head. of such mechanism, taken on the plane"VII-+VII The attendant places garments to be pressed of Fig. VI; and Figs. VIII and IX, respectively, 'upon the pads, as they advance into such posiare views in side and end elevations of one of 1 tion, and, in the interval between each pad-ade e e e ts of the' pe at g ec a s 3 l5 vancing movement, thepressin-g head autom-ati- Re e ng t the drawings, the machine cally descends and presses the garment lying sists of a frame I, in which a pressing head 8 upon the pad beneath it- Upon remaining in is organized. An endless carrier, including in pressing engagement with the, garment for a this case a series of pad members I, is movable predetermined interval of time, the pressing head lo it d a y o e a the movement 0f 20 is automatically raised, and the series of pads h ar e s te t ahd'the l e is moved a step forward, carrying the pressed b s 7 (Or othe or -be surfelees) a garment from beneath the head, and moving carried one after another into a position immeanother into pressing-position. diately beneath the head, and in such position 5 Th various coordinated perations of t each pad member is held for a predetermined machine ,h ve b en ff t d: by pneumatic time interval. The head 8 forcefully descends means-means operated by compressed air, as p n h p member coming to r n h described in the above-noted patent.- Good t e d rema in lowered position for work is done. by the machine so per t d, b t predetermined interval of time and then rises,

3Q certain practical objections attend its operation. a t e p s head rises; the Carrie! For example, an air compressor, an air receiver, matieelly dv t n succeeding D into and a compressor motor, are essential toprovide DOS of e t beneath the head- Thus, the the operating power or medium for themachine; l 'Y- p Operation of the carrier is Geordia relatively complex system of air conduit d mated with. the vertical reciprocations of the 3 several pneumaticmotors, and timing and gov- Dressing head i erning devices, are essentially embodied in the An attendant introduces t0 the machine t machine. In service, air leakage tends to develop me to be pr A arm nt shir in in the conduits, timing devices, and pneumatic s Case) is Dieteedl p each p member, m-otors. Thus, it will beund'erstood that the use fore it is moved y the Carrier into at pesitien of the machine is attended with a problem of ath th p ss h and t s rt, r other 40 maintenance, which, together with the relatively garment, is p p folded a fla e o high initialinvestment required, impairs its oth- Dressing 1110011 the D d em as indicated a erwise great value.- S in Fig. I. When the shirt-bearing pad mem- The object of my inventionis to provide ber, in consequence of the already described chanical means for effecting the several coorditravel of the C yQOm G S'tO a position t 45 nated and automaticopera'tion's of apressing the head h head: descends and forcefully machine of the type alluded to. It is further p e s the Shirt po e pad member. The my .aimthat such means shall be of relatively h d 8 s heated (by khQWh means) t p op Simple structure, inexpensive,- certain in opera- D ng tempe a ure-and means Operateto hold 5) tion,, and durable inservice. thepressing head in' shirt-compressing position In the accompanying drawings, Fig, I is for an intervalof time sufficient to effect the deview in plan from" above of a pressing machine sired pressing or ironing of the shirt. Upon the embodying the invention; Fig. 11 is an end view rise of the head, the pad member 1 bearing the of-the machine, the plane of view being on the pressed shirt S is moved from beneaththe head,

right ,of Fig'.-, r; Fig-L III is: aqfragment'ary view as shown in Fig. I,.while the next succeeding pad member carries an unpressed shirt S into position beneath said head.

As in the case of the structure disclosed in the above-noted patent, the travelling carrier consists of two continuous roller chains 15 and E6; the roller chains are spaced apart transversely of the machine, and are each trained over a pair of sprocket-wheels la, Ifia, mounted on shafts 5a and 6a that are rotatably trunnioned in the frame I at opposite ends of the machine. rods H are secured at their opposite ends to the chains 55 and I6, and such rods are arranged in paired relation, the rods of each pair supporting between them a pad member 1. Thus, an endless series of work-supporting members I are mounted on the endless chains l5 and [5, providing a carrier structure that extends in upper and lower reaches between the opposite ends of the machine, and, manifestly, powerful rotation of either shaft 5a or 60. will produce travel of the series. As noted in the said patent, the pad members 1 are flexible, to afford an advantageous yielding under the action of the pressing head, and to facilitate the movement of the pads between the upper and lower reaches of the carrier structure. Indeed, the shafts 5a and 6a are each provided with a roller, 5 and 6 respectively, to support the flexible pads in the regions at the opposite ends of the machine where the chains I5 and I6 round their sprocket-wheels. And, as may be observed in Fig. IV, the frame I includes a stationary platform la for rigidly supporting the pad members 'I in flat position beneath the pressing head 8.

Turning now to a consideration of the structure in which my invention is found, it will be observed in Figs. III and IV that the pressing head 8 is mounted upon a cantilever member 805. Two parallel, vertical shafts 80' and 8|, rigidly integrated by cross-bars 82 and 83, are arranged to slide vertically in bearings 84 and 85 in the machine frame, and the cantilever member 800 is mounted upon the upper ends of these shafts 3i), 8 I, as is clearly indicated in Fig. III. The vertical position of the cantilever member upon the shafts may be adjusted, by means of a rod II that extends through the cross-bar 82 and in threaded engagement therewith. The rod H extends upward through the body of cantilever member 800, and is secured against axial movement relatively thereto, by means of a collar 86 and a handwheel 81, each firmly fixed to the rod above and below the cantilever member, as shown in Fig. IV. By virtue of such structure, the cantilever support (850) for the pressing head 8, mounted upon and reciprocable integrally with shafts 80, 8|, is adjustable in its mounting. The normally fixed vertical position of the cantilever support upon such shafts, or the normal position of the pressing head, may be adjusted by turning the handwheel 81 and rotating the rod ,H in said threaded engagement with the cross-bar 82.

Means are provided for vertically reciprocating the shafts 8!], 8|, to move the pressing head 8 to and from engagement with the shirt-bearing pad members successively moved into position beneath it. The range of such reciprocation is normally constant, and it will be understood that the means for adjusting the cantilever member axially of the shafts 8!], 8| advantageously permits regulation of the normal pressure of the head against the yielding pad members I, and the shirts lying thereon. It will be understood that shirts of various fabrics are of various thicknesses when folded for pressing, and the various fabrics re- Crossquire various pressures beneath the heated head to obtain the desired pressing or ironing. These various conditions of service are readily provided for in the adjusting means above described.

The means for reciprocating the shafts 80, 8| consist in a toggle linkage, comprising two links ll] and M mutually pivoted at their inner ends toa connecting rod 42, note Fig. III. The outer end of link 40 is pivotally connected, at 43, to a stationary frame element lb, while the corresponding end of the link 4| is pivotally secured to the cross-bar 83 that unites the lower ends of the shafts 80, 8i. Within a stationary housing 44 a special cam plate 45 is organized with means for effecting its horizontal reciprocation. The cam plate is provided with. a slot 45a through which projects a rotary shaft 46, trunnioned in the side Walls of housing 44; an extension 452) projects from the cam plate through the wall of the housing 44, and is pivotally secured to the connecting rod 52. When the pressing head is in elevated position, the cam plate 45 lies at one end of its range of horizontal reciprocation, and toggle linkage liL-M rests in the full-line position shown in Fig. III. The cam plate 55 includes a hook portion 450, see Figs. III and HM, which normally is engaged by the distal end of a latch-arm 4'! that is pivotally mounted on a pin 58 carried by the housing 44; the latch-arm is normally held in engagement with hook portion 450, by means of a spring 49, see Figs. III and V, and thus the toggle mechanism is stayed in the position in which it sustains the pressing head in elevated position.

An electric motor 50 (Fig. II) is connected through a train of reduction gears in housing 5| to the shaft 45 (Fig. III), and such shaft is continuously rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. III. On the inner side of the cam plate 45, an arm 52 is keyed to the shaft 46 (see Fig. VII), and on the outer side of such plate an arm 53 is keyed to the shaft. As viewed axially of the shaft, the two arms extend angularly to one another (see Fig. III), and the inner arm 52 carries an extensible and retractible elementa pin 54which cooperates immediately with the cam plate, while the outer arm 53 carries a pin or roller 55 that cooperates with a Geneva stop or cam 56. The Geneva cam is secured to a shaft 51, The shaft 51 extends from the housing 44 and is connected through gearing in housing 58 (see Fig. II) to the sprocket shaft 5a. During each rotation of the shaft 46, the arms 52, 53 and their associated elements effect in accurately timed sequence a quarter revolution of the Geneva cam and a complete reciprocation of the cam plate 45. The gearing in housing 58 is so designed that each quarter revolution of the cam shaft 51 effects the advance of the work-supporting carrier through a distance equal to the center-to-oenter distance between the pad members I mounted thereon, and, as will more fully appear below, each horizontal reciprocation of the cam plate 45 effects a pressing operation of the head 8. Thus, both the carrier and the pressing head derive their operating movements from the constantly rotating shaft 15, and, by virtue of such feature, it is possible accurately and positively to coordinate the intermittent travel of the carrier with the vertical reciprocations of the pressing head.

While the arms 52 and 53 (secured to constantly rotating shaft 46) are slowly sweeping through the positions in which they are shown in Fig. III, the pressing head is sustained in its elevated position, and the Work-supporting. carrie i is at rest. Continued (counter-clockwise) rotation. 1 of the shaft 46 carries thearms downward, and a rigid finger 59 (EiggllIa); projecting from v the arm :53 engages a .pin;.4,l a projecting laterally from the I catch 41 and swings the catch from engagement with the hook portion 450, of the cam plate 45. As

a may beperceived in Fig. VII,,the pin 54-which is carried at the distal end of-arm 52- includes a head 54!; that normally nests in a socket provided therefor in such arm, whereby, saveyas hereinafter described, thepin offersno obstruction to the free rotation of the arm relatively to the cam plate. It ,will be further, observed that the pin 54 projects throughthe-body of the arm 52 and terminates in a foot 54b, between which foot and the .bodyof the arm a compression'spring 60 is organized. Thespring lill tends to, hold the pin in. its retracted 1position-the position in which the head 54a of the pin nests within thebody of. the arm. On the side wall;,44a,of.. the housing 44 anarcuate cam Si is secured; in the course of the rotation of the arm52, thefoot 54b of the pin engages this cam, and thereby is shifted against the restraint of spring 66; thus, the head; 54a of the pin is causedto project-outward (to the left in Fig. VII) from the arm, and is held in such projecting position so long as its'foot 54b rides'in contact with arcuate cam 6|. Upon referring to Fig- V, itwillvbe-seen that the cam plate 45 is provided with aperipheral slot-45c, and'it will be understoodthatthe organization of the mechanism is such that the footof the pin 54, engages the arcuate cam 6i, and projects the head 54a of the pin into the slot 456, at theprecise moment the finger 59' effects the disengagement of the latch 47 from the hook portion 450 of the camplate. Accordingly, the cam plate 45 is released, and, by virtue of theengagem'ent of pin 54 in slot, 45c (Fig. VI), the powerful rotation of; the shaft 46 effects the left-to-right travel of the cam plate, In consequence, the toggle linkage 4642 (Fig.1'III) is 'shiftedfrom full-line position to dotted 1ine position; thecross-bar 83 is forced downward, carrying the shafts 80, ,BI and cantilever member 8llflwith it, and thereby moving the supported beneath-it. 1

The moment the pressing head enters pressing position, the foot of pin 54 reaches the end of cam 6|, and the pin, under the influence of spring 60, is automatically withdrawn'from engagement with the cam plate slot 45e. Therotation of the shaft 46 continues, but the campla'te, freed of engagement by the pin, remains at rest, the toggle links and 41 having been moved pastcenter and into abutment with a stop 62', as. shown in dotted lines in Fig. III.v That is to say, the press.- ing head 8' is stayed in pressing position, when the pin 54 is disengaged from slot a. The arms 52 andx53 continue their counter-clockwise rotation.

head. 8 into pressing engagement with the shirt The side wall ofthe housing 44 carries a sec-- gaged from the cam plate45, the arm- 52 turns through 180, more or less, before the pin 54 engages the cam 63."The cam plate 45 remains. at

the right-hand endof its range of reciprocation,'.

andihe head ,Iemainain vPrat-is .a po tion.

while, the continuously rotating arm moves from cam 6|,to cam 63.; I v

' M The cam plate 45 is provided with an upwardly projectingportion 45d, and, when the outer end of rotating arm 52 reaches the cam 63, the foot 541) of pin 54 engages the cam, causing the head 54a of the pin to projectfrom the arm 52 (Fig. 1112)) in such manner as to engage cam plate portion 45d, whereby,rotation of the arm continuing, the cam plate is shifted to the left. In consequence, the toggle linkage is restored to its full-line position (Fig. III) and the pressing head is elevated, As the cam plate 45 reaches the left-hand end of its range of movement, the

latch 41 engages the cam plate portion 450, and

-with the cam plate portion 4501. Thus, it will be perceived'that the pin 54 comprises a clutch device, that operates automatically and in coordination with thegconstantly rotating shaft 46. In the above-described manner, the pressing head- ,islowered; it is held in pressing position during the interval in which the end of arm 52 swings from cam 6| to cam 63; and at the end of such interval the head is restored to and securedin its normal elevated position. And it will be understood that; by adjusting the arcuate distancebetween cams 6| and 63, the time of active engagement of the pressing head with the rock may be regulated. I contemplate that the cam 63 may be detachably mounted upon the wall of housing 44, and that cam elements of various lengths may be interchangeably employed to obtain such regulation of active pressing time.

In accordance with well-known mechanical practice, the shaft 46 carries a semi-circular plate or disc 64 (conveniently of one piece with arm 53) that inusual way engages successively the arcuate recesses 65 formed in the periphery of .with radial slots 66-there being four slots 66 and four intervening peripheral recesses 65in this case. The organization of the various elements of the mechanism is such that, when the cam plate 45 is latched at the left-hand end of its range oftraveland the pressing head is held elevated position, the roller carried by arm' 53 enters one'of the Geneva cam slots 66, and the .disc 64 reaches the end of its sweep over. the

, corresponding adjacent recess 65. (Note Fig. III.)

As the arm 53 continues its counter-clockwise rotation, the Geneva cam, engaged by roller 55 at the end of the arm, is rotated, first with. ac.- celeration and then retardation in angular velocity, effecting. the rotation of shaft 51 and the travel of the Work carrier in the manner already described. ,When the cam 56 has been thus rotated through 90, the roller 55 passes outward from the engaged slot 66, and the disc 64 enters engagement with the next adjacent recess 65. Accordingly, while the arm 53 is passing down Ward from the cam. 63 to the cam 6| (that is, in the interval between successive operations of the pressing head), the Geneva cam is released, rotated through precisely 90,- and then locked, again. In such manner the work carrier, as positively engaged, by sprocket wheels 15a, 16a,

is caused to advance between each vertical reciprocation of the pressing head. In each advance the velocity of the carrier is, by virtue of the Geneva cam, first accelerated and then retarded within a positively limited range of travel, and thus the shirt-bearing pad members I on the positively engaged carrier are successively moved into a position of precise registry with the pressing head, and with the cooperating shirt-stretching means, described below.

It will be perceived that I have provided relatively simple means for efiecting the operation of an automatic pressing machine. The means are essentially mechanical in nature, as distinguished from pneumatic; yet the desired automatic coordination of the several positively effected operations is obtained.

The pressing head 8 is normally sustained in inclined position, as shown in Figs. II and IV, and in the manner described in the above-noted patent, the pressing head, during its descent into pressing position, first engages and pinches at one end (the collar end) the folded shirt that lies on the pad member i beneath it, and, while cooperating means immediately function to stretch the shirt taut upon its supporting pad member 1. Then, during its continued descent, the pressing head moves angularly of the support 808, against the resistance of interposed springs, and closes angularly upon the taut shirt, and presses it against its supporting pad member I. This operation is fully described in the patent, and need not be herein repeated, save in the following details:

A dog 2| is slideably secured to each carrier bar I1, and a hook member 2|!) is mounted upon each of two rods 2| I. The rods 2| I extend transversely of the machine, and are slideably mounted in the frame I beneath the pressing head. The attendant inserts a stretching bar 10 between the bodice and tail portions of each folded shirt introduced to the machine, and, as may be seen in Figs. I and II, the opposite ends of the stretching rod are engaged by the dogs 2 I, carried on the particular pair of carrier rods between which the shirt is laid. As each shirt-bearing pad member moves into pressing position, the dogs 2| mounted on its two supporting bars I! enter engagement with the hook members 2 H), see Figs. I and II, and, when the pressing head descends and bites the collar of the shirt, the rods 2 are automatically shifted, carrying the engaged dogs 2| and bar Ill outward. Thus, the shirt is automatically stretched while the pressing head descends and angularly closes upon it.

The means for effecting such shirt-stretching operation of the rods 2| in synchronism with my operating mechanism, are found in two arms H2, keyed upon a rocker shaft H0, and having bifurcated upper ends severally embracing the ends of rods 2 between collars H3 that are adj'ustably secured to the rods. Between the two arms H2, 2. bell-crank lever ll is fixed upon the shaft Hi1; one arm, Hm, of the lever extends downward, and is organized with a tension spring I20 that tends to rotate the rocker shaft H clockwise (Fig. IV), and thereby to urge the rods 2|| into normal, retracted position; and the other arm '|||b of said lever inclines upward from the shaft, and is forked at its distal end. The threaded rod II is aligned with the forked end of lever as may be noted in Fig. III, and a collar H4 is adjustably secured to such rod. During the head-lowering operation of my mechanism, the rod H is carrieddownward, and the collar 1M engages the distal end of arm lb of the bell-crank lever. In consequence, the rocker shaft H0 and arms H2 turn counter-clockwise (Fig. IV), and the rods 2| l are shifted to the left, thereby moving the hook members 210, together with the engaged dogs 2| and bar 10, and in so doing effecting the stretching of the shirt that lies beneath the descending head.

As has been already mentioned, the handwheel 81 affords adjustment of the operating pressure of the pressing head. And the fixed position of collar H4 on rod 1| may be adjusted, whereby the shirt-stretching operation of the rods 2 may be accurately coordinated and timed with respect to the pressing head, as it descends and angularly and progressively engages the shirt beneath it. Furthermore, the degree of tension exerted upon the shirt is variable by such adjustment, inasmuch as the range of right-to-left shift of rods 2| l and of hooks 2|0 is thus adjustable. Thus, the operation of the shirt-stretching instrumentalities may be minutely controlled and synchronized with the other coordinated operations of my mechanicallyactuated, automatic pressing machine.

Notice is given of my co-pending application Serial'No. 92,121, filed July 23, 1936.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an automatic pressing machine including a pressing head, means for advancing articles to be pressed to a position of registry with said head, and a drivingmotor; the combination of driving mechanism including an element movable in opposite directions for raising and lowering said head, a continuously rotating member, and a clutch device automatically shifted between engaged and disengaged positions for intermittently connecting said continuously rotating member with said element, whereby such element is alternately shifted in opposite directions, as described.

2. In an automatic pressing machine including a pressing head, means for advancing articles to be pressed to a position of registry with said head, and a driving motor; the combination of driving mechanism including -a sliding element reciprocable in opposite directions for raising and lowering said head, a continuously rotating member, and a clutch device automatically shifted between engaged and disengaged positions for intermittently connecting said continuously rotating member with said sliding element, whereby such element is alternately. shifted in opposite directions, as described.

3. The structure of claim 1, in which said clutch device consists in an extensible and retractible pin carried'by said continuously rotating member, and means cooperating with said rotating member for intermittently shifting said pin into and from engagement with the element which is movable in opposite'directions, as described.

4. In a pressing machine including a. pressing head and an endless conveyor for carrying work to position beneath said head, the combination of mechanism for automatically operating said machine, said mechanism including a continuously rotating shaft, a mechanical linkage including a reciprocable element for raising and lowering said head, a mechanical linkage including a rotary element for advancing said conveyor,

,. and means carried by said continuously rotating said rotary member for reciprocating said press-' linkages are severally operated to efiect the travel of said conveyor in desired synchronism with th raising and lowering of said head. r

5. In a pressing machine including a reciprocable pressing head and means for advancing articles to be pressed to a position beneath said head, the combination of a continuously rotating member, rotary means including a Geneva cam responsive intermittently to said rotary member for moving said article-advancing means, and means including a connecting rod responsive to ing head, said last-mentioned means including a clutch device, and means for automatically moving said clutch device'between engaged and disengaged positions in coordination with the angular movement of said rotary member. I

6. In a pressing machine including a reciprocable pressing head and'means for advancing articles to be pressed to aposition beneath said head, the combination of a continuously rotating member, rotary means including a Geneva cam responsive intermittently to said rotary member for moving said article-advancing means, and means operable in coordination with said rotary member for lowering and holding said head in pressing engagement with the article beneath it and then raising the head from such engagement, and cam means for automatically timing the period of said pressing engagement. s

'7. In a pressing machine including a reciprocable pressing head and means for advancing articles to be pressed to a position beneath said head, the combination of a continuously rotating member, rotary means intermittently responsive to said rotary member for operating said article-ad vancing means, means for reciprocating said head, a cam, and automatic meanssubject tosaid cam for intermittently connecting said headreciprocating means with, and disconnecting the same from, said rotary member.

.8. In a pressing machine including a reciprocable pressing head and means for advancing articles to be pressed to a position beneath said head, the combination of a continuously rotating member, rotary means intermittently responsive to said rotary member for operating said articleadvancing means, means for reciprocating said a head, a lock for normally holding said head-reciprocating means stationary, means for periodically and automatically releasing said lock, and

means for connecting said head-reciprocating means with said rotary member when said lock is released. a

'9. In an automatic pressing machine including a pressing head, an endless work-carrier, means for intermittently advancing said carrier, and

means for intermittently advancing said carrier, and means operable in synchronism with carrier advance for raising and lowering said pressing head, the combination of means for normally locking said head in elevated position, and means operable in coordination with said head-operating means for automatically releasing said lock, whereby said head is lowered into pressing position.

CARL T. ALLME. 

